Yes, this is one great tasting barleywine maybe it is a tad watery and pricy however I could drink this one all day and night. It is simple and sometimes simple is best. I enjoy all of Harpoonís offerings.

Aged 2 years (2010 vintage): The very first thing I noticed about this beer was how well the aroma survived over the period of two years. Its sweetness was noticeable from the mouth of the bottle even before I poured it. Once itís in the glass, itís color is a soft, dark orange and its head is off-white, still well-formed after aging. Carbonation is still present, but light and still enough to liven up this (no doubt) sweet and alcoholic brew. Its aroma is very nice. The sweetness of crystal malts, light alcohol, and floral, earthy hops dominate the nose, and has held up to the years pretty well. Itís smooth and just a little mellow - thereís no doubt this beer could easily survive at least four years in the cellar before dropping off a cliff. In the mouth, itís less sweet and more mellow, with alcohol taking the stage - so much so that it almost feels like a liquor in the mouth. Donít let me fool you, though, itís still a sweet, tasty brew. At finish, thereís a sensation in the throat thatís almost unpleasant, leading to a dry, fruity white wine-like lingering flavor in the cheeks - but with an odd bitterness. Iím not sure if additional aging would help this phenomenon, but Iíd be willing to find out. Overall, it has a tease of classy smoothness, but still has some awkwardness to it - and I canít tell if under or over-aging is to blame. Still, a heck of a good beer and much better aged than straight off the shelves.

Picked this up yesterday in a 12oz bottle at Harpoon Brewery in Windsor VT. Enjoyed at 60 F in a Snifter. Deep brownish amber with 3 finger tan head that fades to 1 finger with very decent lacing. Scent is ultra sweet. Smells just like a barleywine. Some hints of spices and honey. Taste slightly bitter with English and German hop profiles. Also a nice balance of sweetness, bitterness and solid malt backbone. some pineapple and peach tastes and some brown sugar. Medium carbonation, heavy body.

Sinister scents of medicinal booze-soaked fruit and breads. Deep amber orange. Some suspension - guess the age at two years. Taste is semisweet chalk and alcohol burn. Heavy syrupy stuff here. Had this at a now closed joint in NH for the first time two years ago, for $3. Costs at least that in the store down this way.

2010 Vintage
I tried this fresh and thought it was a bit hot so I held on to a couple of bottles to see how they developed. Pours a deep copper color with a decent off white head that shows moderate retention and lace. Smells of bready caramel and toffee with a bit of earth and alcohol. The flavor is sweet with bready caramel and toffee with a bit of ethanol to cut through the sweetness. Medium body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet sticky mouthfeel. After two years the alcohol is still a bit hot, but that is the only thing providing any balance against a really sweet syrupy maltiness. OK barleywine, definitely a sipper.

Pours a hazy orange/brown color and is loaded with small floating particles. Aroma is very sweet with some bready malt, brown sugar and caramel. Taste is very similar and the alcohol is hidden well (that may change as it warms). Body is medium to heavy and there is a little bitterness in the finish. This doesnít taste bad, and it is rather easy to drink, but nothing stands out. This is definitely well below average compared to other barleywines. I think it would be difficult to drink another.

Smells like sweetened strawberry shortcake laying out in a flower patch to ferment. Pours without much lacing and some soapy bubbles. Taste of alcohol is strong, barley bitterness present but not overbearing. Some of the caky sweetness in the smell carries through to the aftertaste. Better than some of the mediocre offerings Iíve had from this brewery but it doesnít go much further than that. Bottle from Lebanon Health Food store, NH.

The aroma is caramel, toffee, fruit. The appearance is deep red/brown, translucent, off-white head. The flavor is caramel, fruit, floral hops. The finish is floral hops, light sweetness. Medium in body, very slightly thick, oily mouthfeel. The floral hops donít appear until the you taste the beer, but make their presence known thereafter. Pretty good overall.

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